


a chill (Prompt 23 - Shuffle)

by unmended



Series: FFXIVWrite2020 [23]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: #FFXIVWrite2020, Alcohol, Coerthas (Final Fantasy XIV), Developing Relationship, Female Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV), Fluff, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-24
Updated: 2020-09-24
Packaged: 2021-03-07 21:27:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,068
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26624401
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unmended/pseuds/unmended
Summary: Fires go out in Camp Dragonhead just before bed time and it's godsdamned freezing.(short fill for #ffxivwrite2020)
Relationships: Haurchefant Greystone/Warrior of Light
Series: FFXIVWrite2020 [23]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1906036
Kudos: 23
Collections: Emet-Selch's Wholesomely Debauched Bookclub FFXIV-Writes 2020 Collection





	a chill (Prompt 23 - Shuffle)

* * *

Winding down, just about ready to extinguish the candles in the room, the Warrior of Light is hit with a particularly bad chill. She tentatively pushes off the blanket and is met with an almost icy air in her room.

 _Shite._  
  
Groaning, she looks to the fireplace and notices it has all but burned low. She pulls on a long robe and some soft boots and checks on the fire. Prodding at it with a pick, she tosses another log from the side onto it and it all but smothers the remaining embers. She checks around the hearth for flint and comes up empty.

_Double shite._

She drags the blankets off her bed, and another one from the linen shelf for good measure, and heads to the door.

* * *

  
  
She shuffles down the cold stone hallway, completely wrapped in about four different blankets, doing her absolute best not to shiver and look _more_ ridiculous than she already must. She peers around the corner into the Commons, carefully checking to see if anyone else is awake this time of night...  
  
Empty, thank The Twelve.

Rifling through the low shelves for some sodding flint, tinder and a few more lose pieces of kindling, she stands up to retreat to her borrowed bedchambers. Rounding the corner once more to pad down the hall, she locks eyes with a startled looking Haurchefaunt who - if she didn't know any better - seemed to be in the process of innocently stepping away and back towards the rooms.

"Haurchefaunt-" She hisses at the Elezen's sheepishly retreating back, "What are you doing awake at this hour."

"A-ah, my friend, I was simply...checking to see if aught was amiss." He grins.

  
  
The Warrior of Light shivers and pulls the blankets tighter around her, managing to drop a piece of kindling on the stone floor. She curses, and while bending to retrieve it, manages to upend the rest of the burden she was carrying. The precious flint she was originally searching for skids to a stop at Haurchefaunt's foot.

She sighs and tries to pick up the mess while also keeping herself wrapped, still freezing.

  
  
"Let me help you with that - It's the least I can do for startling you." And he bends to retrieve the flint, and moves quickly over to help with the rest.

  
  
She straightens and bundles herself up again, breath coming out in almost visible puffs.

  
  
"I'm not sure how you stand it out here, all of you" She says. "It's _so_ cold."

  
  
"You do get used to it, I assure you, my Lady-" Haurchefaunt says with a wink as he turns and waits for her lead back to her room, fire-start in hand.

She stills, momentarily flustered, and then retraces her steps back to her room.

  
  
When she opens her door she can feel that the fire in her room is well and truly out by now and she visibly deflates. Haurchefaunt clears his throat and she turns back to the door.

"May I?"

  
"Oh.. yes. Yes of course." She says, moving to the side and shutting the door after he follows her through. Haurchefaunt walks pointedly straight to the wrought and stone fireplace and arranges some of the kindling to see if he can coax the fire back to life.

The Warrior of Light flops back onto her bed, still cocooned in her blankets, and watches.

He works quickly, with a sort of efficiency she's come to expect from him but it's strange to see it with something so... domestic.

She blinks, sluggish in her chilled state, and when she fully opens her eyes again Haurchefaunt already has a small flame catching on a log he's placed in the hearth.

He lays another couple logs near to the embers at the base to ensure they dry and catch.

"There, that should do it." He says. "Though it will be some time before the room is warm again I'm afraid."  
  
She frowns.

"What say you to a nightcap in my room, then?" He offers, sheepish smile returning. She shivers and nods emphatically and Haurchefaunt laughs, offering his hand. She takes it graciously, extending her own frigid cold digits to rest in his.  
  
"By The Fury you **_are_** freezing-" He says chiding, and pulls her to her feet, sweeping her out of the room. She laughs breathily. He delicately rubs her hand between his to try and massage some warmth back in, and quietly taps her room door shut with his foot.  
  
They shuffle - together this time - a few doors down to his own room.

Haurchefaunt opens the door and ushers The Warrior of Light inside and into.... _blissful_ warmth.  


"Better?" He says from behind her, over her shoulder, as he closes the door behind them.

"Much." She sighs. A well tended fire roars in the corner, and a number of well used candles sit on a desk strewn with paperwork. "..Oh, I didn't realize I was keeping you from work-"

"Think nothing of it, really." He replies, drifting over to a cabinet and retrieving two small glasses and a bottle of some dark liquor. Haurchefaunt fills the glasses about halfway and ushers The Warrior to sit on the small couch near the fire next to him.

Still bundled, she takes a small sip once seated and the delightful burn of alcohol warms her further.  
Haurchefaunt sips his own drink, watching her. After a moment of comfortable quiet, she wiggles her shoulders out of the blankets.

"...I'm not, you know." The Warrior says.

"Hmm?" Haurchefaunt says.

"I'm not... a Lady." She says, by way of explanation. "You're the one with a title, _Lord Haurchefaunt_ -"

  
  
Haurchefaunt smiles and looks down at his drink.

"I'm just...me."

"Perhaps I misspoke then, in the hall." He says, wistfully. "...It is just that I seem to have a fervent wish to be _your Knight_ and perhaps my words got the better of me." He turns to her.

  
  
She flushes a light pink.

  
  
"Flatterer." She murmurs as she eyes him over the glass as she takes another sip. Haurchefaunt finishes his own glass and places it to the side.

  
  
"...Would it be too bold of me if I said I desperately wanted to kiss you right now." He asks.

  
  
"It would." She says, breath catching in her chest.

  
  
"May I do it anyway...?" He tries again, leaning over the blankets that cover and crowd her lap.

  
  
" _Gods_ , yes." She breathes.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

> I did card shuffling already fhsjkfhjd so went with this instead - enjoy :)


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